Master Cattle Producer Program Set For Lafayette

News Release Distributed 07/14/04

The LSU AgCenter has announced the first in a series of educational programs for beef cattle producers in Louisiana.

The first 10-week session in the Master Cattle Producer Program will begin on July 26 in Lafayette, according to Dr. Jason Rowntree, the LSU AgCenter state specialist responsible for the program.

Each course, which meets for three hours a week, will provide cattle producers with the tools they need to improve their environmental stewardship and production efficiency, Rowntree said.

"We have something for every level of producer," Rowntree said.

Certification as a Master Cattle Producer also requires completion of the first eight hours of the LSU AgCenter’s Master Farmer Program and completion of the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association’s Beef Quality Assurance program, Rowntree said.

The Lafayette sessions will be held at the LSU AgCenter Extension office in the parish government building in downtown Lafayette on consecutive Monday evenings – except for Labor Day.

Each session will run from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. with a meal provided. Cost will be $100 for all the sessions.

In addition to the Lafayette sessions, the LSU AgCenter has scheduled Master Cattle Producer sessions for Port Allen and Hammond starting in September. Other sessions will be conducted at additional sites across the state in the near future.

For more information, contact Rowntree at (225) 578-3345 or the LSU AgCenter county agent in your parish. You also can obtain more information on the Master Farmer and Master Cattle Producer programs by clicking on Master Farmer link listed under Features on the LSU AgCenter’s Web site at www.lsuagcenter.com